KittyPri, Natsuki and Syo
by Bligy
Summary: Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series. Once you get over hang-ups, it really is just two people who really like each other doing things that they like to do. Seems it took forever to get there, but Syo'll come around sometime.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** A New Challenger Appears  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 1;  
**Summary:** In which a particularly vain boy learns that being the best, the cutest and the most awesome at everything sometimes gains you fans you 'really' don' t want.  
**Rating:** G  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

If there was one thing that Syo knew from a young age, it was that he was talented. He was told that at every turn, with every single thing he touched.

He was told he was talented at the violin, at singing, at dancing, at walking! Syo was a cute, sweet, egocentric little nightmare, and his parents almost regretted the moment they actually gave him lessons to blossom that talent, as Syo became a bragging little brat that turned away even the most determined friends.

Not even the boy's adorable little ears and tail could prevent people from seeing his nasty interior. Even allowing for the 'children will be children' motto, they could see that Syo was a nightmare.

"Really, Syo-chan, was that necessary?" his parents would ask him when he put down another's violin playing so hard that the child started balling their eyes out.

"Of course, he wasn't as good as me, he shouldn't be saying he is," Syo told them like it was obvious.

The only part of Syo's life that wasn't instantly trashed or delegated to 'less than' was his younger twin brother, Kaoru. Although, that being said, it was probably only because Kaoru wouldn't let him.

"Don't touch my violin! You 'suck' at violin!" Syo would bellow.

"That's mean, Syooo! How will I get better if I don't play?" Kaoru would complain, and eventually Syo would break down and teach him a few things, the two of them standing so close that they almost appeared like two sides of the same coin.

When they stood like that, their ears would flicker in unison, their expressions would almost match and their tails would twist around each other, bringing them closer and closer.

Those moments were the only times that Syo wasn't raising hell for everyone around him. As much as his parents loved him, it was also nice to have a few minutes free of Syo's drama.

Now, Kaoru was a completely different thing. It wasn't that Kaoru wasn't talented in his own way, it was just that Kaoru's talent rested more in people than in the physical, which nicely balanced them out. Eventually, they were hoping, Kaoru's sweetness would rub off on Syo's brashness and not the other way around.

One day, at a large, neighbourhood picnic, they had the biggest scare with Syo as of yet.

There was a moderately-new family that moved in a few blocks down, which was one of the reasons for the picnic, and their son was… unique.

"Natsuki-kun, this is Syo-chan," they'd introduced, and less than a second later, Syo was being chased by the boy.

"SYO-CHAN IS SO CUUUUUUUTE!" the boy had squealed, pulled a net out of 'no where' and started chasing Syo around.

"Ah! NATSUKI… kun…" his parents had attempted, but the boy was long gone, along with Syo's screaming back. "I'm so sorry, he does this occasionally. He really does love cute things."

"And our Syo-chan is undoubtedly adorable," she'd admitted, although the worry in her voice as obvious.

"I'll… try to find them, I'm sorry again," Natsuki's father bowed to them, chasing off after Syo's desperate cries.

That night, Syo had boarded himself up in his room, crying his little lungs out.

"I DON'T WANNA BE CUTE ANYMORE!" Syo had sobbed over and over again, his parents unable to console the child, who viewed them as being 'the things that forced him to be cute!'. Instead, it was Kaoru who came into his brother's room, curled up on the bed with him and ignored the multiple smacks to his face in an effort to curl around his brother's sweet form.

"Imma chop off my ears," Syo had threatened. "T-that way everyone can tell us apart, and I-I won't be cute anymore!"

Kaoru had bitten his ears at that moment, and Syo had let out a most… curious sound, his body seeming to go limp in his brother's grasp. "Nuh uh, brother… I like your ears too much. You wouldn't want to do anything to make me sad, would you?"

Syo hadn't said anything more, although his whimpering cries carried on for most of evening, until he passed out in his brother's arms.

When she'd gone back to check later, the two of them were curled into each other, Syo's head buried in his brother's chest, their tails wrapped loosely around each other in sleep.

Her smile was infectious, as both parents soon arrived to adore on their sons, eventually getting a camera to take a picture of the image.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Take Your Places  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 2;  
**Summary:** There's a reason that marriage has a minimum age limit.  
**Rating:** G  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

Neighbourhood picnics were a fun thing, or at least, they had been. The location was being called into question.

"I… don't feel comfortable with my children here," she had attempted, and no one could really fault her.

"I'm so sorry, I can't even…" Natuski's mother attempted to placate, but there was nothing much that could be said.

Everyone at the picnic had seen what happened. Everyone had witnessed Syo hanging out of a countless-story high tower, chased there by an energetic boy with a net.

No one had really known what to say.

…

Syo curled up on his bed, ears folded against his head, tail wrapped around his thigh with intense pressure, probably going to give him a bruise, but he didn't care.

Even Kaoru couldn't help him.

He couldn't look out the window, it was scary. He couldn't go to the park anymore… it was terrifying, and… and… 'he' might be there.

Shuddering, Syo curled into his blankets, feeling a few blisteringly hot tears running down his cheeks again.

He really hated crying. Why did he have to cry so much? It was like the world hated him and made him sensitive to everything.

"Syo-chan… can I come to bed?" Kaoru had asked, but Syo hadn't answered for a long time.

When Kaoru tried to touch him, Syo curled away. He didn't want to be touched right now. He didn't want to be 'anything' right now.

"Syo-chan, I'll protect you!" his brother claimed, climbing onto the bed and curling up behind him.

Syo hadn't even realized he'd missed his brother until those wiry arms wrapped around his middle, his faced tucked into the back of his neck with his ears tickling the sensitive skin of his shoulders. Syo felt his body beginning to shake with more sobs, the soft sounds shattering the silence of the room.

"Shh… Syo-chan. He'll never get you again, I promise," Kaoru stated, nipping at his ears lightly and then kissing his neck and sending a shudder down Syo's body. "You're mine, Syo-chan. I'll never let him take you away from me."

Syo turned in his brother's arms, burying his face in Kaoru's neck as his brother held him, rubbing his back and gently stroking the tip of his tail, sending warm fuzzies up his spine.

"I love you, Kaoru," Syo had cried desperately, trying to convey the feelings of helplessness he'd felt there, along with the hope of his brother's presence.

…

A few days later, they were at the park, with Syo tentatively wandering around. His steps were so careful, his balance so precarious, that Kaoru couldn't help but follow on the ground, grinning up at his brother and promising to catch him if he fell.

"SYO-CHAN!" someone screeched, and Syo 'did' lose his balance, trembling and nearly falling out of the park, but somehow managing to hold on.

"Unn… no!" Syo moaned, pressing his face into the wood of the park, turning away from his constant tormentor.

"Stay away from my brother," Kaoru had stated, placing himself between Syo and Natsuki threateningly, his ears flattened, his tail poofed and his eyes narrowed into pinpricks.

Natsuki's fluffy tail was wagging back and forth, his perked ears tall and excited, but his eyes were wary.

"Why?" Natsuki asked, and Kaoru growled low in his throat, backing up to help Syo off the equipment. "I can do that!"

"NO!" Syo bellowed, hiding in his brother's arms, his tail tightly wrapped around Kaoru's irritated fur, his ears so low on his head that they couldn't be seen above his hair.

"Ah… but Syo-chan, we always have so much fun together!" Natsuki chirped in excitement, but Syo merely shook his head in desperation and Kaoru backed up, brother in arms, to get away from the menace.

"MOTHER!" Kaoru called when Natsuki just kept following them.

"B-but I have this hat! Syo-chan would look 'so' cute in it!" Natsuki protested, showing a small little frog hat that was obviously Syo's perfect size.

"I don't want to wear your stupid hat! I don't want to see your stupid face anymore! Go away you creepy… creep!" Syo demanded, his anger overcoming his fear now that he was off of the park.

"Syo-chan…" Kaoru attempted, but Syo was already shaking a fist at the other boy, his rage at his situation nearly touchable in the air.

"I don't understand why you wouldn't want to be cuter. Here! Put the hat on!" Natsuki asked, his ears flickering in confusion, his tail still wagging with good humour.

"Here, I'll put the hat somewhere!" Syo stated, grabbing at the hat as Kaoru went to grab at his irate brother.

"See, that's more like it!" Natsuki crowed happily, attempting to get the hat on Syo's head while Syo was struggling to get the hat away so he could destroy it and Kaoru was just attempting to extract his brother from this entire mess.

"What is going on here?" someone asked, and Kaoru felt instant relief at the presence of his mother. "Ah… Natsuki-kun…"

Kaoru grabbed Syo, who was ripping into the hat with his teeth, spitting out chunks of it unrepentantly.

"Hi there, Kurusu-san!" Natsuki said, waving enthusiastically. "Can Syo-chan come to my place to play?"

"NO!" Syo wailed, throwing away the destroyed remnants of the hat and clinging to his mother's leg desperately.

"Ah… not today, Natsuki-kun," their mother stated, her hand reaching down to lace into Syo's hair.

Kaoru cast one last filthy glance at Natsuki and raced over to his brother, hugging him from behind to protect him from the monster.

"Okay, maybe tomorrow?" Natsuki chirped, seemingly unaware of the piles of dislike wafting towards him.

"NO!" Syo bellowed, squirming out from between his mother and Kaoru in the cute, wiggly way only Syo could manage.

As the boy stood there, tail spiked with anger, ears perked in fury and eyes blazing with pent-up rage, Kaoru couldn't help but think his brother was beautiful. He couldn't really blame Natsuki for liking his brother, for thinking that he was the cutest thing ever, because his elder brother really was.

"But Syo-chan, if I don't get to see you again, how will we get married?" Natsuki pouted, and all the Kurusus currently present nearly choked on their tongues.

Syo got the worst of it, gagging and nearly doubling over, his face turning purple from too little oxygen and too much to say.

"Natsuki-kun, boys don't get married," their mother stated, stepping forward to gently pat Syo on the back, even if her own face was redder than a tomato.

"Especially not you to my brother, I'd marry him first!" Kaoru declared, grabbing Syo and hugging him tightly.

"Ah… Kaoru-kun…" his mother attempted.

"Oh well, we can just all be married! I like you too, Kaoru-chan!" Natsuki stated, grinning at Kaoru and making the younger brother's stomach bottom out.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Kaoru objected, hugging at Syo partially for protection and partially to be protected from the menace.

"Boys…" his mother attempted, but they were already too involved.

"I don't want to marry 'anyone'!" Syo bellowed, when he was finally able to figure out how to breathe again.

"Now that's not very nice, Syo-chan. Kaoru-chan and I 'both' proposed to you, it's only polite to choose one of us," Natsuki shook his head, looking very disappointed in his love interest.

Syo looked like he was just about to pick up the rocks on the ground and pour them down Natsuki's throat when their mother picked up both him and his brother, blushing furiously, and bowed slightly to Natsuki.

"Natsuki-kun, it's time for us to go. I hope you have a good evening," she stated politely and then walked away, mumbling things under her breath.

"You'd choose me, right, Syo-chan?" Kaoru asked his brother, brow crinkled in concern.

Syo's eyes slid over to him and his face purpled in exasperation, his mouth moving but the words unintelligible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Reverse Counter  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 3;  
**Summary:** It's funny, but it wasn't until that weird day that Natsuki started wearing glasses.  
**Rating:** G  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

Natsuki had first picked up the violin, not with any true intent of learning it, but because Syo-chan had one, and he wanted to be best friends with him! Syo was the cutest thing Natsuki had ever seen, even knowing about Piyo-chan! Honestly, if Natsuki could just hold onto Syo for the rest of his life, he'd be a 'very' happy boy.

As it was, Syo didn't enjoy being around him very much, so he did his best to make sure that the other boy couldn't escape him. He made sure to read all the same books, go to the same clubs, he was even trying to get enrolled in the same academy as his dearest friend – though there was quite a wait-list – and now, he was taking violin lessons!

Granted, they weren't with the same teachers, but hey, Syo's parents seemed to be able to afford crazy-awesome people, while Natsuki's parents just… weren't that well off. Oh well, it wasn't as though it really mattered all that much who taught him, what mattered was that they would still go to the same competitions. He could see Syo-chan there and maybe even sit beside him while they watched all the other violin-players with their music!

It would be like going on a date!

Grinning, his ears perked to max height, Natsuki cheerfully made his way to his teacher's room, prepared to learn how to use the completely foreign instrument in his hands.

When his teacher entered the room, however, Natsuki found Syo slowly drifting from his thoughts. His teacher… she was beautiful!

She smiled at him and Natsuki felt his own smile waver as a bought of shyness overtook him, his tail briefly latching to his leg, and then he grinned sheepishly and stood up, walking over to her with his violin so that she could teach him what she wanted him to play.

By the end of his first lesson, Natsuki felt that she was the 'Best Teacher In The World!'. He was able to play his violin! It made SOUNDS instead of SHRIEKS!

After nearly three months of lessons, Natsuki was able to play some of the more complicated songs in his songbook, blasting through them so easily. The music coming to him like… like walking, or talking, or chasing Syo-chan! It was like he just 'knew' that he was meant to do it!

One day, after working 'really' hard for a few weeks, Natsuki brought his teacher a song. He made her sit down and grinned at her happily as he warmed up his violin and started playing. His teacher seemed so happy, so sincerely grateful for Natsuki's music, that Natsuki couldn't help but feel like it was the greatest moment of his life.

The next day, his teacher cancelled his next lesson. Natsuki was… disappointed, but figured that it was just due to sickness.

However, when Natsuki went to his next lesson, his teacher wasn't there. She hadn't called to say that she wouldn't be, so Natsuki had 'made' his family wait there, yet... she never appeared.

The same thing happened to his next lesson, and his next. Each time, he was driven to more distraction. He stopped chasing Syo, he stopped caring that Kaoru was glaring at him. He was concerned! Where was his teacher?

For the next few weeks, his ears were at a constant half-mast, his tail twitching in worry, and even the sight of his precious Syo-chan wasn't enough to make his emotions pick up.

Eventually, with all his pestering, his parents ended up finding out that, apparently, his teacher had 'made it big' in the musical community with some sort of 'genius' song. Natsuki was… stunned. He was happy for her, that she'd done that, but still…

Why hadn't she told him?

Then Natsuki heard the song.

It was playing on the radio one day and he'd made his parents pull over so he could scramble forward and yank the radio as loud as it would go. His heart had broken in that moment, hearing his 'own' music played back at him with his teacher's sweet voice, her own twist to the music.

Natsuki hadn't gone to school that day, refusing to get out of the car, his tears too much, his eyes burning and his wailing bringing down some concerned teachers… and… and Syo-chan saw him!

Syo came over to the car, much at the protesting of his brother, and reached for him through the door, looking concerned and… mildly disgusted, as though the idea of Natsuki being upset was going to be contagious and poison him.

It was probably the only time in his life that he'd ever truly hated the other boy with all his soul.

In a way, it broke him too, his tears overwhelming him in his misery, even when Syo finally did gain up the courage to touch him.

"W-what's wrong?" the other, younger, boy had asked him, obvious concern and wariness in his tone.

"I think that Na-chan needs to be alone right now, Syo-chan. Why don't you go off to school?" Natsuki's mother had stated, after she'd waved off the teachers and managed to get them alone.

Syo had refused at first, and then promised to come after school to make sure Natsuki was okay, again with Kaoru objecting in the background. Natsuki had felt… nothing. He felt neither happiness nor sadness, nor hatred, nor… anything.

Eventually, they got home and his mother took him up to his room.

In his room, Natsuki sat there for awhile, his mind a bleary, deserted place. Eventually, Natsuki started wandering around his room, picking things up and putting them down.

He found a dress-up case, and inside was a pair of glasses. He picked them up and put them on.

"Now I'm Natsuki!" he told the mirror, smiling at it with his ears perked for the first time in weeks, his tail lashing happily and fluffy as it hadn't been in… seemingly forever, and then took them off, his face going back to the cold, miserable countenance that it had been mere moments ago. His ears were slightly drooped, although not necessarily in sadness, more like he just couldn't be bothered to keep them up. His tail was a forgotten thing, merely hanging there, occasionally twitching in irritation.

"And now I'm Satsuki," he stated, his voice almost… foreign to him. It sounded so different, so… unnatural.

He put the glasses on in fear, scared of that other side of him.

"I'm Natsuki… I'm Natsuki…" he promised himself, but the urge to take off his glasses, to not care, became so large that he did… he removed them.

Satsuki was there, staring at him in the mirror with all that misery, all that anger, all the rage and hatred in his heart. The smile that Satsuki gave him was nasty, evil, and Natsuki felt… okay. Satsuki could have all his negative feelings, and Natsuki could… he could…

He fell asleep with the glasses in his hand.

When he woke up, the glasses were placed on his face completely subconsciously and he went downstairs to see his parents.

"Na-chan! I tried to bring you dinner last night, but you were already asleep," his mother told him, kneeling down with a confused expression on her face. "Why are you wearing glasses, Na-chan?"

"They're my secret!" Natsuki chirped, all smiles and cheery once again.

"Ah… Na-chan, are you okay?" his mother asked, patting his head with concern and a wary smile.

"Yup! I'm doing 'great'! Can we make cookies today? I want to bring some to Syo-chan. Maybe that'll make him want to marry me instead of Kaoru!" Natsuki said, determined in his quest to conquer Syo's brother and win the small boy's hand for himself.

"Syo-chan was here last night to see you, but you were already asleep. He… he said for you to come over today," his mother said, but her eyes were still staring at Natsuki in worry, although Natsuki couldn't figure out why.

"Syo-chan… invited me over?" Natsuki gasped, hands at his mouth, eyes alight with glee. "THAT MUST MEAN HE CHOSE ME!"

"Now, Na-chan…" his mother attempted, but Natsuki was already off like lightening, putting things together in a bag to get ready to tear over to Syo-chan's house and steal his prize right out from that grabby brother's nose.

His mother attempted to get his attention more than a few times, but Natsuki just blazed right past her, then kissed her on her cheek and offered his hand.

"Let's go see Syo-chan!" Natsuki grinned at her, and his mother smiled weakly, then caved, grabbing her purse, her son's hand, and turning off the kitchen light.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Round One  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 4;  
**Summary:** Mirrors can do weird things, and what are glasses if not just another form of mirror? When one isn't looking at themselves, scary things come around.  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

After that really weird thing with Natsuki, where he was crying in the car, and then showed up at his house at 'seven in the morning!', Syo had Natsuki had become friends… sorta.

He didn't really know what they were.

Natsuki still introduced him as his wife, even when Syo threatened to beat him to a pulp and stopped talking to him for 'days'. But then Natsuki would show up outside with his violin and start playing stupid music to get Syo to talk to him again and Syo would have no choice but to go outside and forgive the idiot so that he would stop keeping the neighbourhood up with his awful playing.

Kaoru didn't like it, but Kaoru didn't really get much of a choice in the matter, after all, Kaoru was trying to marry him too! Stupid jerks! Why couldn't they understand that Syo didn't 'want' to get married, let alone be a girl! GROSS!

Girls were gross, he didn't want to be a girl, and he didn't want other people to think he was a girl either. They were big stupid dumbheads for making him seem like HE was.

When he reached grade two in school, Syo started playing sports, trying to make him seem less like a girl. His sports, violin, and Natsuki's constant, constant presence usually kept Syo pretty busy.

With all his recitals coming up in the early spring, and his games, eventually even Natsuki took back seat to his busy schedule. Kaoru was around a bit more, seeing as how he got to see Syo during homework and school hours, but Syo didn't have a lot of time for either of them. He wanted to be the best, and in order to be the best, he had to practice 'really' hard!

As the years started passing, Syo just kept picking up more and more hobbies, excitedly collecting them like Natsuki did pictures of Syo – which Syo thought was 'really' creepy, by the way. Eventually Natsuki seemed to have gotten wise to Syo's lack of time and transferred directly into Syo's school, much to Syo's distaste. He hadn't thought that the Shinomiya family had the kind of money to put Natsuki into his school, but there the blond idiot was, like a ray of blasted sunshine.

It wasn't like he didn't remember Natsuki, or even that he had really spent all that much time away from him, but…

Wow, was Syo really twelve now?

Had it really been all that many years?

What had he been doing?

Syo sat and thought that to himself one day in his bedroom, having locked his door, barred his window, closed the blinds and ignored the mournful violin music coming from outside.

He just wished that he could put a blanket there to mask the sound.

His tail was lashing through the air, the jerky movements indicative of his own annoyance. His ears were drooped, half-mast and twitching occasionally as Natsuki played an off-note. Really, why didn't Natsuki just 'give it up'!

Wasn't he even allowed one day to himself?

Apparently not.

His mother banged on his door, a sigh in her voice and obvious irritation colouring the sharp raps. He could hear Kaoru in the background, saying something or rather, and Syo's ears pressed against his head, his tail wrapping around in his leg in a desperate cry for escape.

"Syo-chan, Natsuki is outside again. Can you please… talk to him? Something? I don't want another noise complaint!" she stated, and Syo rolled his eyes.

"Besides, Syo said he'd teach me more violin today! Why does Natsuki always come first?" Kaoru complained, and his mother said something unintelligible, which only caused more whining from Kaoru.

Angry now, Syo slammed his door open, walked right past his mother and brother to his front door, which he threw open and glared at the violin-toting teenager before him.

Natsuki turned to him with a bright smile, which very nearly melted Syo's knees, but Syo refused to be cowed by Natsuki's cheer. This wasn't something that he could just let continue!

"You need to stop doing this!" Syo stated, waving his arms in a frantic attempt to get Natsuki to understand.

"Doing what?" Natsuki asked, putting away his violin and running at him with massive enthusiasm.

"You can't—hey, stop that!" Syo muttered as Natsuki latched onto one of his arms, attempting to drag him into a hug.

"Get off of my brother!" Kaoru objected from the door, coming over to shove Natsuki away from Syo, who was caught in the cross fire and flailed, jerking his elbow into Natsuki's face, which sent his glasses – why had he started wearing those, anyway? – off and onto the lawn.

The next few things happened like lightening. Syo was grabbed by the wrist, painfully, Kaoru was sent to the grass, and Natsuki took off running, Syo in hand, leaving the violin case half-open on the ground with Kaoru gasping in pain on the lawn.

Syo tried to call out to his injured brother, but Natsuki just yanked his arm harder, nearly wrenching it out of his socket, and Syo could only let out a soft cry, and then a whimper as Natsuki squeezed his wrist.

"That hurts! Stop it!" Syo objected loudly, attempting to get his other hand free to hit Natsuki's arm, but Natsuki turned to face him and Syo's stomach bottomed out.

That… that wasn't Natsuki.

They only stopped when they reached the park that was midway between their houses. Syo was panting and heaving with all that running, even with his athleticism, but Natsuki just stood there, not even out of breath.

How the heck was that even 'possible'? As far as Syo knew, Natsuki didn't even run in gym class, let alone on a regular basis.

Jerking again, he managed to get his hand free, although he was almost positive that was because Natsuki chose to let him go, rather than any physical capability of Syo's.

"What… what is WRONG with you!" Syo wailed, scuttling backwards from his friend and staring at him in open-mouthed horror. "Wha… who… what 'are' you?"

The boy stood there, staring at him in blank consideration, something that made Syo's skin crawl. He'd… never been looked at like that before, like he was nothing, like he was just something to be shoved aside, and never by Natsuki. It… it 'hurt'. Syo bit his lip, trying to keep the tears from his eyes as he staggered again, his legs feeling like jelly under the sheer waves of danger that were exuding from his friend.

Even the way he held his body was completely different. Ears that were generally so expressive, either perked in excitement or flopped in disappointment, were somewhere in between, held almost without care, and the tail was twitching in sharp motions, like something placid that was just waiting to be let out. The boy's hands were loose at his side, and his body seemed coiled, almost like a spring.

"Any more stupid questions?" the other boy asked him, and Syo sucked in another breath, losing a battle against tears as a few fell down his cheeks. "Good."

Syo said nothing more as the other boy advanced and Syo backed up, eventually into one of the toys in the playground. He was pinned quickly enough, Natsuki's hands on either side of his face, those large, threatening eyes doing far more than the hands to keep him in place.

More tears ran down his cheeks and he felt his lip trembling, even between his clenched teeth.

"Let me go…" Syo whimpered, a shaking hand reaching up to push weakly at the arms keeping him captive. He tried to turn away, to get away from those freaky, not-Natsuki eyes, but one of the other's hands reached to grab his chin, making him face forward again.

"I don't see what's so special," the other stated. "You look like just another pretty piece of trash."

Syo shied away from the hand on his chin, attempting to get away, but the hand held solid as those words hit him full on in the face. Syo's hands fisted for a second, before releasing and planting themselves back against the toy he was being physically pressed against.

"What are you saying?" Syo asked eventually, when the other boy didn't go on. The words were… startling, disturbing coming from Natsuki's lips. It wasn't that he really, well, that he 'liked' Natsuki running around, calling him cute, trying to dress him up, but… but this was Natsuki! He always liked what Syo looked like before, and… and…

"I'm saying that you're disgusting," he said, the words like liquid poison.

Syo let out another soft sound. It wasn't that he 'tried' to look good, he just… always had. He was cute, he was pretty, and he knew it, but…

"No I'm not," Syo objected, softly, questioningly, as though wondering if everyone was lying to him. Had everyone been lying to him?

His ears were pressed against his skull, nearly painful in their urge to hide. His tail was wrapped around his leg, twitching and quivering in Syo's fear. He could nearly taste his own terror on the air, wondering if Natsuki could as well.

"Yes you are…" the other told him, whispering the words so close to his ear that Syo's fur twitched, trying to get further away from those threatening tones. "You don't even understand how pitiful and pathetic you are. Saying cruel things, treating others like they're so beneath you, when in reality, you're not worth 'half' of what they are."

Syo attempted to shy away from the words, but the other kept him in place, holding onto his chin and leaning further into him.

At this point, Syo's eyes were wide open in shock and horror, his lip released from his teeth and his body rigid. The other pulled back for a second, jerking his chin so that Syo was looking up at Natsuki's face. Natsuki… where was Natsuki?

"There… that's much better. I like you better when you realize how little you're worth," the other stated, the smile on his face almost… gentle, and Syo choked back another sob.

Syo gasped when lips pressed against his. His eyes opened even wider as the other took advantage of his open mouth to shove his tongue inside. Very nearly choking, Syo stood completely still, trapped, unable to comprehend what action to take.

The other didn't seem to care, just using the hand on Syo's chin to tilt his face for better access, and Syo quivered, the tongue, the kiss… it felt so… different.

He let out another cry when the other pulled back, unsure whether he hated or loved the feeling of being kissed by this creature impersonating Natsuki. It kissed his cheeks, tongue licking at the tears that were still there, before going back to kissing him again.

Syo had never been kissed in his life, he wasn't sure what to do, or how to react. He stayed still until the other started batting his tongue, and Syo hesitatingly brushed back, which took his breath away.

His hands jerked off the play piece he was against, reaching forward to grab hold of the Natsuki's jacket, taking a deep breath and preparing himself for the next wave of kisses.

Eventually, they heard voices, and the other pulled back, leaving Syo a heaving, miserable mess.

He was still crying, but now he was also longing. He… he liked it. He 'liked' it.

He looked up, seeing the self-satisfied smirk on the other's face, and Syo let out another choked sob.

"I hate you," Syo declared, and the other's smirk only widened. "I HATE YOU!"

When Syo's father finally found them, Natsuki's mother not far behind. Apparently Kaoru was being rushed to the hospital. His ankle had been hurt in the fall.

The other didn't get much of a chance to do anything, as Syo was pulled away instantly, a few words exchanged between parents, before Natsuki's glasses were given to his mother and Syo was pulled away.

His father didn't ask questions, no one bothered. Really, Syo wouldn't have known what to say any that point, either.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Round Two  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 5;  
**Summary:** Well… in 'some' parts of the world, fourteen is marriageable age!  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

Natsuki stared out his bedroom window as he thought about what he'd had planned for next week. Next week was his birthday, his fourteenth birthday, to be exact, and he knew 'exactly' what he wanted to happen.

Apparently, in some countries (although not in theirs, which was 'really' unfair!), he would be allowed to marry Syo-chan this year. In celebration of this event, Natsuki had worked 'all' summer, only seeing Syo-chan for fifty percent of his day instead of eighty percent like he normally would, but he'd finally done it.

His ears were perked and his tail lashed in excitement as his hands clutched tightly to the box that he'd spent enough money to pay rent on his own for at least a few months. He grinned, a blush spreading up his cheeks at his imaginations of Syo swooning into his arms (not likely), and then bit his lip at the impending meeting he was going to have with the one he'd always admired.

His mother had helped him get ready, both smiling and crying and being weird like his mother usually was.

"So… Na-chan, you want to marry Syo-chan for sure?" she'd asked him, and Natsuki had grinned and nodded at her. "And… and you're sure it'll be Syo-chan?"

Natsuki tilted his head, the smile still in place as he watched her help him get ready. She ruffled his hair slightly, playing with his ears and Natsuki hugged her tightly.

They stayed like that for a moment, until she pulled back, and Natsuki was left with the box in his hand and an uncertain look on his face. He solidified his place in the world with a few deep breaths and he stared blankly at his mother and father, who were talking quietly in the other room.

He saw his mother start crying and his father cast him a glance that was partially pitying, partially exasperated.

"Just… go…" Natsuki heard her say to the elder man, and his father came over to him.

At first there was this awkward moment of staring. Natsuki had never been very close to his father. It showed in the identical ways their ears were twitching, undecided and nervous as the older man knelt down. Once they were to eye-to-eye, Natsuki couldn't help but feel even 'more' intimidated.

"You understand what you're doing?" his father asked, and Natsuki's face took on a determined tinge.

He lifted his chin, his eyes solid in their decision. He knew that what he was doing was against 'social norms', and that, by promising himself to Syo-chan, he was essentially casting himself out of society, but… it was 'Syo-chan'!

"I… I love him," Natsuki stated, his young voice solid and decisive.

His father looked angry for a second before clapping his shoulder as he rose to his feet. "So… this is how my family will end…" his father reflected, and Natsuki felt his stomach twist.

"Syo-chan and I will have children," Natsuki assured him, taking his hand in an effort to make him feel better. "We'll have plenty of them!"

His father's lips twisted in disgust, and Natsuki squeezed harder, feeling angry that his father was making such a big deal out of this. He glared behind his glasses and… had the 'weirdest' urge to take them off. His fingers were already over halfway up his face before he hesitated and dropped his hand back to his side.

"Shall I drive you over?" his mother asked him, her hand reaching for her husband's as the older man stared off into the distance.

"I can walk," Natsuki said, feeling that the air would do him well. His stomach was completely in knots and he wasn't actually due at Syo-chan's for another half an hour.

As Natsuki left, he heard his father say something under his breath and heard the soft chuckle of his mother.

"Your son's not gay," she scolded and Natsuki turned to see his mother giggle into her hand, tears in her eyes. "He's… Syo-sexual…"

His father let off a bark of laughter, and Natsuki felt a smile on his face as the two of them embraced.

"I suppose I can't argue with that," Natsuki heard his father mutter and couldn't help but stare at the way his parent's tails coiled around each other, their ears briefly flickering as they touched, and the soft smile on his mother's face as she mouthed 'bye' to him.

Natsuki waved with his fingers as he departed, his tail swishing behind him in longing. He wanted to be like that with Syo-chan someday… so in love that they were literally wrapped around each other.

The walk over was awkward, quiet, but a very nice quiet-before-the-storm. While Syo knew that he was coming over, and that he wanted to go out for dinner on his birthday, the other boy had 'no' idea what it was that he was planning.

Now, it wasn't like Natsuki was delusional (well, any 'more' than normal, that is), he knew that Syo wouldn't accept him. The pretty trinket that he'd bought for the other boy would no-doubt be hidden, tucked into the bottom of a chest or into the back of a dresser, for years… maybe decades.

Nevertheless, it would be Syo-chan and no other. Natsuki would marry him. Syo 'would' be a Shinomiya (or Natsuki would become a Kurusu, he wasn't picky), if it was the last thing Natsuki did… and considering Syo-chan's temper.

It took him a good half an hour to walk there, and by the time he got to the door, he was excited again. He bounced up the steps, knocking on the door and grinning when Syo answered it with a petulant look to his face.

Syo was dressed casually enough, which was still fancy for most boys their age, but his hair was done properly and he was wearing all of his favourite decorations. His ears were slightly drooped, but they perked slightly when Natsuki was revealed. His tail was a blur behind him, twitching and swaying unevenly, as though unsure how to react.

"Where's your mom?" Syo asked, looking around for the car.

Natsuki smiled when he realized that Syo-chan had been 'waiting' for him, probably listening for the distinctive sound of Natsuki's mother's vehicle.

"I'm here on my own, Syo-chan," Natsuki informed the younger boy.

"Mom, I'm going with Natsuki!" Syo called back, and was met with a slightly affirmative noise.

"Actually, I just… need to talk to your parents for a second, if I could?" Natsuki asked, taking a deep breath to solidify himself.

Well, there was simply no point to doing this if he weren't going to do it properly.

Syo looked at him curiously, actually, no, Syo looked at him like he had grown a second head, before shaking his head in annoyance and marching back into the house.

"Fine, but I'm staying to listen to whatever you have to say. I'm not going to let you do something weird," Syo muttered, glaring at him accusingly. Natsuki could only consider it 'more' adorable as Syo's tail puffed slightly and his ears were at rigid attention.

"I would never do something weird to Syo-chan," Natsuki protested, aghast at the very idea.

"Sure you wouldn't," Syo grumbled, glaring at him warningly.

"Ah… Kurusu-san…" Natsuki said as he stepped into the kitchen and saw Syo's mother baking something. She turned around, obviously not expecting to see him, and bowed slightly.

"Na-chan! Happy birthday!" she cheered, to which Syo scoffed. Natsuki grinned at her and bowed in return.

"Thank you!" he said, and then looked around for Syo's father. "Is… is Kurusu-sama in?"

"Yes, did you need to speak to him?" she asked, and Natsuki nodded slightly, feeling a bit nervous again.

His father had reacted… badly to this all, and it wasn't like Natsuki 'hadn't' been ranting about it for weeks now. The last thing he wanted was for Syo-chan's parents to react similarly to the news. He didn't know if he could take it if they told him that he couldn't marry his precious Syo-chan.

"Syo-chan…" Natsuki turned to see his friend looking bored, but worriedly at him.

"Why do you need to talk to my dad?" Syo demanded, looking even more nervous with each word.

"Can I talk to your parents alone?" he asked, at which Syo turned a very icky shade of green.

"What are you doing, Natsuki?" Syo took up a more offensive stance, his fist clenched at his side like he was going to deliver Natsuki another black eye. Natsuki 'really' didn't want to have an ice pack during this conversation with Syo's parents.

"I'll tell you about it after, okay? It's… it's a surprise! It's for you! You wouldn't want to spoil your surprise, right?" Natsuki chirped, and Syo glared worse.

"I don't like surprises when they come from you!" Syo told him, his fist clenching harder.

Natsuki sighed mentally and debated his options.

"Shinomiya-kun, I heard you wanted to talk to me?" Syo's father asked, and Natsuki turned around with a large smile.

"Kurusu-sama! Good evening, and yes, I would like to speak to you!" Natsuki agreed.

"Syo-chan, would you mind helping me?" Syo's mother asked, and Natsuki cringed. Dang… he'd wanted to ask both of them at the same time.

As Syo walked past him, he nudged his side threateningly, tail prodding him meanly.

"Now, Syo-chan, that wasn't very nice, and on his birthday, no less!" Syo's mother scolded, coming over to grab hold of Syo's hand, and then hesitated by Natsuki.

She put her hand on his shoulder and smiled softly.

"Give it time, Na-chan… I would recognize that shape in a man's pocket anywhere," she stated, and her smile was soft and encouraging.

Natsuki blushed scarlet, placing a hand over his pocket self-consciously.

Syo jerked around at that, his eyes going down to Natsuki's pockets suspiciously. His ears were high again, his tail lashing back and forth in irritation at having missed something.

"Come now, Syo-chan. The cake will burn!" Syo's mother stated, dragging her slightly-eldest along behind her.

"What is he doing!" Syo demanded, but his mother merely muttered a few more scolding words against Syo's cursing, and Natsuki was escorted out of the room by Syo's father.

"Now… I understand that you have some… intensions towards my son?" Kurusu-sama stated, and Natsuki gulped, hoping to gain some courage with the air.

"Yes," Natsuki stated, pulling the box out of his pocket and gripping it tightly in his hand, before replacing it and turning to the man with determination in his features. "I want to marry your son."

Silence overtook the room as a staring contest broke out. It wasn't that Kurusu-san was being threatening, or even that he was really looking all that cross, it was more that he was… testing Natsuki, and Natsuki had never failed a test in his life.

"Why would you want to marry another boy, Shinomiya-kun?" the man asked, seemingly genuinely confused.

"It's not another boy, Kurusu-sama! It's Syo-chan! I would marry Syo-chan if he were a she, or… or an it, or a carpet, or… the sun! I love him!" Natsuki stated, pointing at different features to prove his point. As he talked, his tail was lashing in excitement, his ears pointed skyward.

"And if my son says 'no'?" the man asked.

"He will," Natsuki said, and chuckled lightly when the elder man's eyes widened.

"Then why would you ask?" the man queried, again looking so very confused.

"Because… he's Syo-chan," Natsuki shrugged, like that answered everything, and it did. "I'll marry him, some day. I just… want to let him know that."

The man stared at him for a second, before his lips twitched and he had to hide his laughter behind his hand. "You have always been a strange boy, Shinomiya-kun," the man sighed.

"You can call me Natsuki, Kurusu-sama," Natsuki offered a bit sheepishly, wondering if he'd ever said that to the other man before.

"I suppose if you're going to be my son-in-law, I should get used to it," the man agreed, and Natsuki couldn't help the bright smile on his face.

When they went back into the kitchen, Syo was glaring at him from the other side of a counter that he could 'barely' see over.

"You're planning something," Syo accused, staring at both of his parents, his tail lashing and his ears twitching. "And you two SUCK at protecting me from him, by the way."

"Have a good night, Natsuki-kun," Syo-chan's mother stated, shoving her son in Natsuki's direction and waving.

"You could do worse," Syo's dad shrugged. "In fact… that girl, the one a few blocks away…"

"Girl?" Natsuki asked, eyes widening and mouth turning down, his hand unconsciously rising to his glasses as his tail poofed.

"SHUT UP!" Syo bellowed. "THERE IS 'NO' GIRL!"

"But if there was no girl, then why would your father…?" Natsuki questioned, but was interrupted as Syo grabbed his hand and yanked him to the door in a huff, slamming it on his parent's laughing faces.

Natsuki halted Syo when they passed by 'their' park. He held fast to Syo's hand as the boy attempted to huff and storm away. Natsuki couldn't help but feel it was adorable as Syo's ears were still twitching and his tail was almost-wrapped around his leg, his cheeks red in embarrassment.

"Didn't you want to know what was in that box, Syo-chan?" Natsuki played to Syo's curiosity, smiling brightly.

Syo glared at him, but then rolled his eyes and shoved his hand out expectantly, his tail falling away from his leg and his ears falling to their normal position, no longer twitching every second.

"How… Syo-like," Natsuki said, and then got down on one knee, holding 'extra' tight to Syo's hand as the other boy's eyes widened and he literally threw himself backwards trying to get away, his tail instantly freezing, the hair rising slightly as his ears jerked to 'alert' position.

"NO! NO, YOU AREN'T ALLOWED… wait… WERE YOU ASKING MY 'PARENTS'!" Syo bellowed, but stopped when Natsuki pinched his hand 'very' gently, but in obvious threat.

"Syo… when I first met you, eight years ago, I entered into a foolish competition for your hand," Natsuki started, and was moderately pleased when Syo's eyes widened even further, his hand going limp in his own, his ears and tail freezing. "I know that that was… well, silly, but Syo-chan, I wanted to give you this."

"I refuse," Syo stated, but Natsuki merely pursed his lips, pried Syo's hand open and shoved the box in. Natsuki knew that there was no way Syo would be cruel enough to give it back now that he had it.

"I… love you," Natsuki stated, with all the sincerity that he could muster. "I love you, and sooner or later, I hope that you want me too."

Syo stared down at the box in his hand like it was something trying to flay the skin from his flesh. "I-I-I…" Syo stammered.

"It's okay, Syo-chan," Natsuki stated, leaning forward to kiss Syo on the cheek lightly before linking their arms, plucking the box from Syo's hand to put in his pocket, and then dragging him off to the café that was still open until ten pm, their curfew.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Round Three  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 6;  
**Summary:** Brothers. Sometimes they're there because they love you. Sometimes they're there to throw that really annoying jewelry box that you can't stand to look at in a furnace.  
**Rating:** PG 13

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

Syo had been in a funk for awhile, Kaoru had noticed. Syo hadn't practiced his violin or sang, or went to one of his annoying little sports meets. Normally this would made Kaoru happy, as it meant more time spent with his brother, but unfortunately, Syo seemed to be more content to sit in his room and brood.

Kaoru had also noticed the new, rather prominent, box that Syo kept on his dresser.

The box seemed to have its own bubble, never touched but constantly stared at. It had been there for damned near a month, and every single time Syo stared at it, his mood seemed to worsen.

Kaoru had attempted to move it a few times, but he'd been yelled at mercilessly. Syo didn't seem to want to interact with it, but that didn't mean that he wanted anyone 'else' to touch it either.

"How about if I crush it, can I crush it?" Kaoru asked, refusing to let the matter drop despite Syo's slowly-purpling face and the older boy's furious pacing, his tail lashing and his ears twitching as always. Kaoru's own tail was lashing, his ears nearly matching his brother for irritation. Damnit, why did Syo have to be so frustrating?

"NO!" Syo screamed at him, fist gripped at his side threateningly.

"What… what the hell 'is' it?" Kaoru demanded, pointing at it worthlessly.

"It's… it's…" Syo turned to look at it with fear in his eyes, backing away from the box like it was going to physically maim him.

"It's just a stupid box! If you don't want it, then throw it in the garbage!" Kaoru yelled at him, hurt and angry that the box was getting more attention than him. "Jeez, that box is almost as bad as that damn Natsuki!"

Syo choked on something, bending double and struggling to breathe, and Kaoru's heart dropped.

"It's from him, isn't it? That's why you can't get rid of it!" Kaoru jumped to his feet, storming over to the box.

"STOP!" Syo cried, or tried to, but the word was only half-formed and came out mostly in a wheeze.

"No!" Kaoru barked back, snatching the box off the dresser and storming out of the room.

"Kaoru! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE WITH THAT!" Syo howled, but Kaoru just took off running. Despite Syo being in sports, Kaoru had 'always' been better at running, it came from doing track rather than soccer.

Still, Syo put up a good chase, up and until Kaoru tripped him on the couch and took off outside, box in pocket and scowl on his face.

He slowed down eventually at the park that he and Syo used to play at, until Natsuki had come around, and then it was the three of them. He sat down in one of the swings, glaring down at the blue box he'd removed from his pocket.

His ears were flattened against his head, he could feel them, and his tail was twitching behind him, showing his emotions plain as day. Why did Natsuki always get Syo's attention? Kaoru was Syo's 'brother'! That should be an instant win in his corner, but Natsuki just… didn't let go! He didn't know when to back off, he-!

Kaoru was just about to throw the box into the forest like he promised, when he looked down at it cautiously and decided to open it. At least then he'd know what sort of stupid junk that idiot got his brother, maybe rub it in Natsuki's face.

It took him a second to work the lid off, but when he did, he blinked and tilted his head.

Inside was a small set of jewelry, a pair of earrings and a ring. On the top of the box was a picture of Syo and Natsuki at the very park he was sitting in. It was at Syo's last birthday when Natsuki had jumped up beside Syo and kissed his cheek in full view of everyone else.

Kaoru had only kinda seen what had happened, so he hadn't gotten the full impact, but he'd known that Natsuki's mother had gotten a picture of it. Syo had threatened Natsuki for 'ages' over that picture, and as far as Kaoru had been aware, Syo had finally gotten his wish and destroyed every living copy… except, apparently, this one.

Seeing the picture, the genuine look of surprised happiness on Syo's face, the soft blush and the affectionate grin on Natsuki's face…

For that matter, now that he was looking at the picture, and at the stones…

He wandered away from the woods, going instead to where the light was shining down from one of the few lamp posts along the road. As the light flashed across the pearls of the earring and ring, he saw that it was the exact same shade as Syo's eyes. They must have been expensive.

For that matter, Natsuki hadn't really been around much during the summer, had he? He pursed his lips and felt a tear gather in the corner of his eye.

Why… why did Natsuki have to do this? He nearly crushed the box in his hands in his anger and… and jealousy!

Why?

Why did Natsuki have to come around and like Syo? Why Syo? Why couldn't Syo have liked him, or… or why couldn't Natsuki have…

He felt his spine curve, his tail wrap around his leg as his ears flattened against his skull in misery.

Why was he always left out?

Eventually he wandered back to the swings, and eventually Syo showed up. His brother sat down beside him and Kaoru just reached over and placed the box in Syo's lap. He looked up once more, seeing the surprised look of pleasure on Syo's face, and how his eyes sparkled, and hated Natsuki again.

"Did he propose to you?" Kaoru asked, his voice rough from his almost-crying and the emotional overload he'd given himself.

Syo nodded, his face turning pink in his embarrassment as he gathered the box to him, holding it against his chest like it was something precious, despite not having a clue what was inside.

"Did you open it?" Syo asked, staring at the box in fear again.

"Yeah…" Kaoru admitted, knowing that lying was futile.

"And…?" Syo looked at him intensely, his ears perked, his tail at attention.

"And what?" Kaoru snapped, not knowing what the hell Syo was asking and already feeling more than a little put out by the realization that he 'was' going to lose his brother, and soon probably.

"And… and… was it…?" Syo looked at him in desperation, eyes wide and begging.

"Just open it, jeez," Kaoru muttered, standing up and walking away, his tail still wrapped around his leg and tears gathering in his eyes.

The soft sound of the box opening and Syo's growl, and then gasp followed him all the way home.

The next day, Syo came down to the breakfast table and asked if he could get his ears pierced.

Kaoru felt sick to his stomach, but didn't say anything. When Syo reached over for his hand, smiling hesitatingly, hopefully, Kaoru couldn't help but smile back. Syo's smiles, his real smiles, were so rare… he'd take them where he got them.

But, and Kaoru swore this on his 'life', if Natsuki ever made his brother upset, he'd have the idiots balls on a rack, served up rare to the pigeons. Stupid jerk.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Round Four  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 7;  
**Summary:** Once you get over hang-ups, it really is just two people who really like each other doing things that they like to do. Seems it took forever to get there, but Syo'll come around sometime.  
**Rating:** NC17  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

The world was a weird place, Syo found over and over again. One day, he'd be the top of the world, his violin being praised everywhere he went and his family was the greatest thing ever, the next day someone would beat his team at something and Syo would be despairing, his family unsure of how to react to him. Kaoru would be awesome, and then treat him like he didn't matter anymore.

They were growing apart, Syo realized, as much as he didn't want them to. While it was true that he didn't want to marry his brother – and as they got older, they also found out that that particular taboo was against the law anyway, go figure – that didn't mean that he wanted to 'lose' his brother, either.

They stopped taking the same classes. They stopped hanging out after school as much. Kaoru still loved him, but he also got his own friends. Syo remained on all his teams, continued playing violin, even gained a few casual friends to go out shopping with. He enjoyed fashion, started collecting clothes and became something of an icon for his school.

He also started singing, getting dragged into choirs and being forced as the headliner in plays.

Yet… through all of this, there was one constant.

Natsuki was by his side, playing violin, eventually even trying out for some sports teams, joining choir and getting cast right beside him in all the school plays and musicals. Eventually, Syo just… stopped fretting about it.

Neither of them ever mentioned the earrings that he wore prominently. Getting ears pierced was a 'very' rare thing, and was mostly done by females if at all. The small studs were very blue, matching his eyes perfectly, and Syo had never allowed anyone to give him shit over them. If he wanted to wear the earrings, then he'd wear the damn earrings.

That instance at the playground had been repeated more times than Syo would care to admit. It seemed whenever Natsuki's glasses were removed, a different 'Natsuki' emerged, although Syo didn't generally get much of a chance to interact with the other Natsuki before he was dressing him down, making him cry, and then kissing the life out of him.

They'd been discovered a few times, in the change rooms when Natsuki's glasses would get caught on his clothing, or just after games when they were showering.

Natsuki had coaxed him into a few instances of 'playing house', which Syo had agreed to because, on some level, he wanted to know how it was that Natsuki kissed, rather than the other. Natsuki was… different. He was sweeter, more gentle, but still forceful.

While the other would leave him a breathless hunk of goo, Natsuki would kiss him until his toes curled, his breath caught and his body was so tense that he would have to escape to jerk off in the shower or else embarrass himself all over the Shinomiya's couch.

Natsuki never pressed him as far as the other did, seeming to think that there was some line there that shouldn't be crossed. Syo didn't mind, he already felt 'really' awkward doing what he was doing. Was it cheating, to be kissing Natsuki while also kissing his other? Syo often felt sheepish about it, and it was also one of the main pressure points that the other enjoyed digging into when the two of them started making out.

There was rarely a session with the other than Syo came out of without serious tears of hatred running down his cheeks. He had to wonder just how messed up that was, that he was starting to find the taste of tears in his kisses arousing.

It was during one of those times that Syo had been introduced to a new level of intimacy that he'd never really even though possible between two men before.

The other had pinned him up against a wall, yanked his leg up over his hip, and had used nothing more than saliva and the sweat on their bodies as lubrication to penetrate his body.

Syo… hadn't really known what the hell to think of it at the time. They were the last out of the locker rooms, a fairly regular occurrence, and Syo's body was hot and ready for the other's hands on it, anticipating his own molesting to the point that he'd gladly ripped Natsuki's glasses off his face.

The other had grinned, called him every name imaginable, and then started in on him, making Syo whimper and cry as those fingers explored within him.

"What are you doing…?" Syo cried weakly, his back arching as the new, painfully pleasurable feeling sent flames down his spine.

"You didn't think that that was all there was to it, did you?" the other stated, his cruel eyes laughing at Syo's naivety while his ears flicked off the water from the shower and his tail lashed back and forth in visible excitement.

"How do you know all this stuff?" Syo cried, his body twisting in an effort to both move away from and get nearer to those fingers inside him.

The other merely chuckled, and Syo stared in confusion as the other knelt onto the ground, his leg now over Natsuki's shoulder, with the other's face level with an area of their body that they'd only ever touched with hands.

"Wha…?" Syo blinked, but didn't get much more of a chance to say anything as the other's mouth latched onto his erection, and Syo's mind flew out the window.

It was a damn good thing that they were the only people in that wing of the school, Syo was relatively certain that he'd screamed loud enough to bring an army down on them.

At the end, when Syo had been panting and sated, the other had smirked at him, so very self-satisfied, and Syo had hated him with every fiber of his being.

"Smug prick," Syo had stated, and shoved the other back against the wall. "You think you're the only one who can screw around?"

The other had allowed the action, as Syo knew from a 'lot' of interactions that the other was far stronger than he let on. The other's eyes were sparkling with challenge and danger as Syo ripped open his pants, yanked down his boxers and froze for only a second before leaning forward.

If the other could do it, then so could Syo… and just like everything else, he'd be better at it too!

After that, things only seemed to escalate. With Syo's hormones racing in his body, his mind a constant flurry of arousal, the other never had any issues talking Syo down on his knees, so long as he promised Syo some sort of turn-about.

At one point, when they were getting changed back into regular clothes, Syo still washing the taste of semen from his mouth, that the other had done something really, really stupid. He'd put his glasses on before Syo was fully clothed.

In fact, Syo was still mostly naked, his pants hanging half-way off his ass, his boxers still open and baring all.

The sucked breath hinted that something was different, and Syo turned to question what the hell was wrong, when he noticed the glasses.

He blinked, Natsuki had blinked, and there was this stunned moment of awkwardness.

For some reason, Syo still viewed Natsuki as his friend, while the other was… something different.

"Ah…" Natsuki had said, his eyes glued to Syo's nether regions, while Syo had turned an impressive shade of fire-engine red.

"PERVERT!" Syo had wailed, shoving himself back into his pants and running away… like a man.

After that, no matter what the other tried, Syo refused any forward actions. It didn't help that Natsuki had been acting 'incredibly' awkward around him as well. This was frustrating, as it wasn't like Natsuki hadn't seen him while he was naked before, but… Syo couldn't help the blush that hit him 'every single time' he thought about it.

"You know, Syo-chan… if we're doing that sort of thing, you should probably start wearing the ring as well," Natsuki had told him a week after their embarrassing incident in the changing room. The other's tail had been waving lazily, his ears perked slightly and his eyes sparkling with amusement at Syo's stunned stature.

Then, right there, in the 'middle of lunch', Natsuki had leaned forward and kissed him softly, ever-so-gently on the lips and alerted the entire school of their relationship.

Syo had punched him, given him a black eye and got them both suspended for a week.

Kaoru had laughed himself silly, his parents chuckling as well. Syo hadn't thought it was funny in the slightest, and did his best to show his displeasure by ignoring the 'hell' out Natsuki for the entire week of their suspension.

Or at least he'd tried to.

The other had snuck into his room two days after their suspension, pinning him down to the bed, shoving a sock in his mouth and made him come so hard that, even with the sock, Kaoru had come running.

That was… embarrassing.

It was also the night Kaoru found out about the other, and it was 'also' the night that he found out that the other had a name.

"Natsuki, what… what the hell are you doing to my brother?" Kaoru had hissed, his tail poofing and hiding at the same time, his ears twitching in embarrassment as he opened the door to reveal Syo's mostly-naked form with Natsuki crouched over him.

"Satsuki, please… don't compare me to that idiot," the other had stated, glaring at Kaoru while licking moisture off his lips that made Syo turn crimson again, his legs twitching as his body attempted to relearn basic functions, such as how to yell so that Syo could get his brother the fuck out of there before 'Satsuki' decided to turn violent.

"Oh… wow… uh…" Kaoru obviously got a better look and he placed a hand to his forehead. "Bad dream… bad dream… bad dream…"

The next day, when Natsuki had come over, Kaoru had smacked him with a broom with the declaration: "You better make an honest man out of my brother, Shinomiya, or I'll have your balls!"

Syo spent the rest of his suspension hiding from 'everyone', embarrassed to extremes. That didn't stop Satsuki from sneaking into his bedroom every other night, or Kaoru from sleeping just inside his door with a baseball bat when he caught them again.

God, his life was so messed up.

When he returned to school, no one treated him any differently. Syo had always been kinda weird, and a few of his friends had even complimented him on having the guts to 'come out of the closet'. Syo had winced and hissed at all of them, but he let Natsuki hold his hand when they walked to practice.

Eventually, he even let Natsuki kiss him in the mornings when they went to class.

It just kinda collapsed from there, with the two of them being so 'open' with their relationship that the entire school shrugged it off. After all, it was becoming more and more common for homosexuals to come out, and 'everyone' had expected them to end up together sooner or later, they didn't even get taken into counseling. In fact, Natsuki had come into his room excitedly one evening brandishing pictures of the two of them taken by girls in their class who had apparently started a 'fan club'.

Syo was from that day forth forced to wear costumes unimaginable, hats cute enough to melt in water and pose in weird ways for Natsuki's love of attention. It was a good thing that he liked the bastard or he might just want to kick him in the balls.

For that matter, Kaoru had never been under any such constraints, and when he found out that Natsuki forced his brother to take 'compromising pictures' for Natsuki's amusement, he'd chased him with the baseball bat around the block for a few hours. Syo had stood by and watched.

When they got older and Syo decided to move his attention from violin to voice, Natsuki moved with him. The two of them went to the same teachers, attended all the same conferences, and eventually Syo even managed to talk Natsuki into majoring in it as well and attend Saotome Academy.

The one problem with Saotome Academy?

"There's no relationships allowed," Syo had told Natsuki, pointing to the rule with a pointed 'look'.

Natsuki had wilted, his ears and tail drooping so badly that Syo had sworn he thought they were going to fall off.

Natsuki had proceeded to sulk, his desperate pleas falling on deaf ears as Syo plowed on ahead with his registration.

In a fit of stubborn drama, Natsuki didn't register, and didn't register, and missed the registration deadline, and eventually…

Syo sat staring at the pages in his lap. His stuff was all packed, his room was damn near empty, Kaoru and his parents were waiting for him downstairs, but…

He felt his lip tremble and he bit down on it.

Jeez… what kind of a pansy was he? Crying just because Natsuki hadn't bothered to go to the same school as him, it wasn't like Syo had even really 'wanted' him to come to the same school, it was just that…

It was just that Natsuki had 'always' gone to the same school.

He'd always… been there.

What would life without Natsuki be like? He shivered at the concept, his ears drooping and his tail brushing against his leg for comfort.

Two full years without Natsuki's teasing words, his playful demeanor, his soft lips and his caring hands. Two years without Satsuki's demanding bitchiness, his overwhelming, powerful personality and his intense looks.

Syo felt a bit of himself die and nearly snorted at his own capacity for drama. He was starting to sound like Natsuki. What a terrifying thought.

Gathering his last few things, he trod downstairs and waved at his parents.

No one missed the ring on his finger, but the only person who really acknowledged it was Kaoru, who took his hand and gently spun the ring there.

"A promise?" Kaoru said, his lips slightly sad, his ears pointedly pointy, his tail frozen as though to prevent it from giving anything away. Kaoru had been getting better at removing any physical signs of his emotions, sooner or later, Syo wouldn't be able to read his twin at all.

"Well… it's not like he's gonna be there to force me to remember him, is it?" Syo snorted gently, and Kaoru hugged his brother tightly.

"And here I was hoping you were going to find some hot idol girl and bring her home," Kaoru said in jest, rolling his eyes.

"I don't think she'd get past the school gates without Na-, well without being ripped to shreds," Syo teased. "I don't hate anyone that much."

Kaoru nodded and the two of them climbed into the back of the car, Syo gazing hopefully out the window towards Natsuki's house, but the blond never came… never called…

In the end, he couldn't even say what it was he was feeling by the time he reached Saotome Academy. Hope for the future? Sadness for a past lost? Removal from it all?

Regardless, when he saw the giant mansion, his eyes nearly popped out of his head and his jaw hit the ground, he saw similar reactions from the rest of his family.

"Holy shit, I should have been a singer," Kaoru whispered, and winced when his father bopped him over the head.

"Language!" his mother scolded, but even then, Syo heard both of his parents echoing the sentiment under their breath as they helped him into his room.

When he got there, a mid-registrant, he noticed that his roommate was already moved in - an early registrant? – and he blinked at the blatant sight of a Piyo plushie.

His smile went soft as he saw it and Kaoru took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Just don't fall in love with this one too," Kaoru warned him, and Syo rolled his eyes as they continued unpacking, wondering just what kind of person his new roommate was.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Final Round  
**Anime Series:** Uta No Prince-Sama

**Series:** Part 2 of the Kitty!Pri Series; Chapter 8;  
**Summary:** Just as easy as some things come together, they can be torn a part. Unfortunately, when being a Drama Queen, that just makes things all that much worse.  
**Rating:** R  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairings:** Natsuki(Satsuki)/Syo

**Disclaimer:** This is being written for the sheer enjoyment of writing, I make no profit other than the fan's enjoyment of it

…

Probably one of the most prominent moments of Natsuki's life would be the day after summer vacation, when Syo had been avoiding him for nearly three weeks. Then, the other boy came to school with pierced ears.

At first, everyone had flocked around him to comment on them and Natsuki hadn't really gotten a good look at them, but eventually, like always, he managed to tackle his best friend and his heart had nearly stopped in his chest.

"Syo-chan…" he'd commented, and Syo had blushed scarlet, attempting to push him away.

Natsuki had been so happy that he'd hugged Syo in the middle of school. It wasn't that it was a very uncommon thing, but a few people caught sight of it and clapped regardless.

Syo had shoved him away and kept his distance for a good long while.

That didn't stop Natsuki from chasing him everywhere, enrolling in the same classes, picking up singing, eventually even going to the same music school as him when his father got a promotion. Natsuki 'refused' to let Syo-chan get away from him, much to the amusement of all on-lookers.

His mother had even helped him sew together a few ideas for Syo to wear for their wedding, much to the scowling disapproval of the boy in question. Eventually, Natsuki got sick of the bruises and just started making hats with his mother instead. Some of them were adorable, but it took a considerable amount of bribery for Syo to wear them.

It was worth it.

As they got older, different things started happening. Namely, when Natsuki suggested that they play 'house', Syo didn't really shove him away when he initiated kisses, and eventually, Natsuki hadn't even needed the flimsy excuse to get Syo to kiss him.

Syo's kisses were like lightning on his body, shocking and frizzling his fur, making his tail and ears stand on end and driving him to distraction. He'd nearly failed more than one test due to staring at Syo's lips.

It only got worse when he'd seen Syo mostly-naked in the changing room and his mind had been full of naked-Syo for the next few days. Eventually, he'd decided to end Syo's frigid bitchiness by kissing him full-on in the cafeteria at lunch.

He'd like to say that it was worth the silent treatment, the black eye and the suspension, but his father hadn't thought so, and his mother had even scolded him! He felt bad about it, but it hadn't stopped him from trying to sneak out with his violin. He hadn't had to play under Syo's window in 'years', but hey, desperate times.

Unfortunately for his desperation, his mother found out about his attempts and had a good long 'sit down' with him on moving when people were ready, and how it was okay to love Syo-chan, and even if Syo-chan allowed him to do such things in private, it was probably a good idea to 'ask' before doing such intimate things with his best friend in public.

Natsuki had taken this to heart and had tried to write an apology letter. He'd fallen asleep or something when he'd taken off his glasses to relieve his headache, and when he woke up, the letter was ripped to shreds and Natsuki decided to try just talking to Syo instead.

When he went over to their house, however, he got smacked to hell by Kaoru wielding a broom and was warned to make an honest man out of Syo. He'd blinked at Kaoru and scratched his head.

"Well… I did propose to him last year. Does that count?" Natsuki had asked, and then his ears and tail had perked up at what Kaoru had just revealed. "Wait, does that mean I have your permission, Kaoru?"

Kaoru had growled and snarled and hissed, but eventually when Natsuki had manage to pin the other down, licking his ears in happiness, did the younger twin say 'yes' just to get him the hell away.

That day, Natsuki had asked for Syo's hand again, or he would have if he had found him. As it was, Syo managed to avoid him for another few days before Natsuki cornered him and took things to a whole new level.

"Now that I have your family's permission, I'm going to make you my wife!" Natsuki had announced, and Syo had stammered and blushed and protested, but eventually allowed Natsuki to touch him again.

Yet another one of those 'moments' in Natsuki's history of awesome was the face Syo had made when Natsuki had entered him for the first time. Probably the most important memory in the history of forever would be the face Syo made when he climaxed around him for the first time, strangling the living hell out of Natsuki during the process and knocking him out.

When he'd woken up, Syo had been under him, embarrassed and flailing, blushing and cursing his name, but still looking less pissed off than normal. His ears hadn't been twitching and his tail was far too complacent to have been truly angry at him.

Natsuki had brushed Syo's hair for a few minutes, soothing him until he was able to kiss the smaller blond without his tongue being bitten off.

"I love you," Natsuki had stated, and it his breath had been stolen when Syo had given him a 'look', and then sighed and grumbled irritably for a few minutes.

"I… I guess… damnit. I guess I love you too, idiot," Syo had told him, and Natsuki's life was complete. Well, perhaps not, as their wedding had yet to come about, but they were going to have to move to Canada or something for it to be truly legal, and he didn't want to leave his parents, so… it would be awhile yet.

"Syo-chan is the best!" Natsuki had claimed over and over again, and still as the two of them had started into their second round for the night.

School was interesting over the course of the next few weeks, with Syo-chan eventually allowing him to hold his hand, and then kiss him, and finally just got over his issues in general and the two of them were openly dating to the entire student body. Natsuki couldn't recall a time he was happier in his entire life.

As the school plays eventually became more and more time consuming, and Natsuki was still working to pay for tuition, the two of them only had a bit of time here and there to hang out. As exams came into play, Natsuki just took his supplies over to the Kurusu's and studied with Syo and Kaoru in their living room.

When they went on vacations, either the Shinomiyas or the Kurusus, the other generally came along. Granted, when the Shinomiyas went on vacation, Kaoru somehow always managed to sneak his way in as well, but Natsuki didn't mind.

Natsuki liked Kaoru, liked that Syo's brother protected him so thoroughly, even from Natsuki himself (who was utterly harmless, he swears).

It was on one of these vacations, with the Kurusus, that one of Natsuki's favourite pictures was taken. The three of them were goofing off at a lake, with Natsuki tackling Syo-chan every chance he got and Kaoru doing his utmost to attempt to 'protect' his brother from 'Natsuki's threatening embrace'.

Natsuki had managed to capture Syo-chan, and was carrying him bridal style on the dock, seconds away from kissing him, when Kaoru had leapt at him, attempting to put him in a headlock, but overbalancing Natsuki's tenuous stance and toppling them all into the water.

Syo's mother had managed to get more than a few pictures of them in that particular scene, but the one with Kaoru hanging onto his neck with them seconds away from toppling into the water was his favourite.

That was only a week before Syo-chan had come to him with the applications for Saotome Academy.

At first, Natsuki had been all for it, filling out the forms with enthusiasm and excitement, chattering with Syo-chan about what it was going to be like to be a 'world-famous idol!', until Syo pointed something out something he'd 'read' in the terms and conditions.

There was a 'no romance' policy at Saotome Academy. As in, students who studied there were not allowed to have significant others.

At first, Natsuki had thought it was a joke, brushing it off and laughing at Syo's 'serious face', but then he'd read the terms himself and had been shocked to find out that the rule did, in fact, exist.

The fact that Syo was so stone-faced about it, like it didn't matter that he was breaking up with Natsuki over something so foolish, like he wasn't throwing their last year of perfection in the trash, was a smack to the face. He hadn't said anything at that moment, instead pretending like it didn't hurt, didn't burn.

Eventually, when he left, he found himself sobbing his lungs out at home, his mother holding him as he thought about how little he must mean for Syo-chan to just discard him like that.

For the next few weeks, he didn't bother trying to make contact with someone who so obviously wasn't going to be around anyway, and was disappointed to his soul that Syo-chan didn't bother to make contact with him either.

Was that all it took? Someone dangling this school in front of his beloved's face for him to simply forget about everything that they had together, did Natsuki really meant that little to Syo?

In the end, it wasn't Syo who came to him, but Kaoru. The younger twin had knocked on his door and come up to his room and sat down with him with the application papers.

"Look… I get that Syo's kinda being a jerk about this, but you're being a drama queen. Sometimes, when you want things, you have to wait to get 'other' things," Kaoru had stated, staring at him blatantly.

"I already have everything I want, why should I have to wait?" Natsuki had bemoaned, and had flinched when Kaoru threw the pen at his forehead, hitting him dead center.

"And what about what my brother wants?" Kaoru had demanded, chin jerked up, eyes flashing, ears twitching and tail lashing.

Natsuki reflected that there had once been a time that he'd almost chosen Kaoru over Syo-chan, and in some ways…

He smiled softly at the other boy, grabbing the pen from where it fell on the bed.

"I guess that I'll always be the one who sacrifices myself for him, won't I?" Natsuki sighed, placing his name down on the application again.

"Don't act like you're the only person who cares about him, Natsuki," Kaoru scoffed and sorted through the papers, grabbing a second pen. "Today is the last day to fill out these forms and I know about as much about you as I do Syo… well, you guys did everything together, so I'll help fill them out."

Their afternoon had actually been quite peaceful, and Kaoru had come over the next day as well to help him back.

"Why did I have to sign up for early registration again?" Natsuki sighed, grumbling about the fact that he had to leave in the next two days, where Syo still got another week and a half.

"Because if you don't, it'll ruin the surprise," Kaoru told him, grinning, and Natsuki felt an answering twitch to his lips, his tail giving a playful wag and his ears perking for the first time in two weeks.

"Syo-chan does hate it when I surprised him," Natsuki reflected with a grin on his face.

"But Syo always does look adorable when he's pissed off," Kaoru sighed in reminiscence as the two of them took to packing up Natsuki's room and arranging his ride to the school.

Natsuki's mother had been rather shocked by his sudden turn-around, only Kaoru being there made it any easier. As it was, the money wasn't really much of an issue as Natsuki had worked all throughout his middle and high school years, gaining up tuition for college or university that was now going to be used for the last few years of his 'music training'.

"Your father will be upset that he didn't get to say goodbye," his mother scolded, tears in her eyes as Natsuki climbed on the bus that would take him to the school.

"Then just tell him to come see me at school," Natsuki teased, and then turned to see Kaoru staring at him with an intense look of uneasy trust.

"You take care of him, okay? If you hurt him, I'll kill you," Kaoru threatened, tears in his eyes and body crumpled.

Natsuki, always felled by Kurusus, stepped off the bus and went over to hug the younger brother, tugging him close and tucking him against his form.

Just like Syo, Kaoru fit perfectly. His arms wrapped around Natsuki's middle as his tears leaked into Natsuki's shirt, dampening the material until the other boy finally pulled back and glared at him.

"Keep your phone on so I can tell you when Syo's coming," Kaoru mumbled, swiping at any stray tears on his cheeks.

Smiling so softly that it could barely be called a smile, Natsuki leaned forward and kissed Kaoru's cheek, making the other glow red, before stepping back onto the bus.

"Thank you for your help, Kaoru," Natsuki said, waving as he departed from sight.

He saw Kaoru standing outside of the bus, glaring at him all the while, ears perked and tail lashing. Natsuki waved at him and Kaoru rolled his eyes but waved back.

Drama aside, Natsuki was… hopeful. He hugged his Piyo plushie to his chest and sighed, then smiled, wondering precisely how pissed Syo was going to be.

Hopefully pissed off enough to initiate make-up sex, ah… Natsuki did 'so' love make-up sex. Given that he'd never been one to pay over-much attention to the rules in the first place, he wasn't all that worried about it this time around.

He smirked as he imagined Syo running away from him, desperately trying to get back to their rooms, or maybe into a private closet before Natsuki could ambush him and make him scream.

This… was going to be 'fun'.


End file.
